Rogue soldier filmed shooting at houses in West Bank, Lion’s Den extremists increase Palestinian terror

Palestinians accuse IDF of supporting settler attacks; Lion’s Den challenges control of Palestinian Authority.

Control in the West Bank continued to deteriorate this week with concerns about the Palestinian Lion’s Den terror group on one side and  Israeli soldiers supporting settlers on the other.

The army is investigating after an Israeli soldier was filmed shooting at houses in Hawara, south of Nablus. The soldier claimed to his commanders that while leaving for his Sukkot holiday break a stone was thrown at his car, and that in response he got out and shot at the houses in the village.

According to sources familiar with the situation,  the army doubts his version of events due to the footage and views his conduct seriously.

Palestinians in Hawara say recent attacks by settlers have been aggravated by the protection of Israeli soldiers. Residents said settlers had thrown rocks at cars and set fire to olive trees.

“The settlers were retreating, but when they saw the soldiers, they came back in force, and started to get closer, breaking everything in their path,"  one resident told Middle East Eye. "The soldiers did not push them back. Instead, they started to attack us and shoot towards us."  

Meretz party head Zehava Galon called on Saturday for Defence Minister Benny Gantz to restrain soldiers in their treatment of Palestinians and said that a “firmer hand” needed to be taken with settlers.

“The settlers are rioting in Palestinian [areas] and this creates an escalation. The army secures convoys of settlers with all kinds of marches, and this is a provocation,” she said.

Last week, Staff Sergeant Ido Baruch was killed in a shooting near the settlement of Shavei Shomron in the northern West Bank while securing a march by settlers near the adjacent Palestinian town of Sebastia.

Lion’s Den an increasing threat